Portable light stand



June 9,1942. 7 w. MULLER 2,285,868

PORTABLE LIGHT S TAND Filed Aug. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-$het l WOLF F. MULLBQ INV NTOR 1 ATTORNEYS June 9, 1942 w. F. MULLER I PORTABLE LIGHT 5mm) Filed Aug. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WOLF F. MULLER INV/ENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 9, 1942 t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE masses roar/mu: uon'r STAND Wolf F. Muller, Glens Falls, N. Y., assignor to General Aniline & Film Corporation, Binghamton, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,835 v 4 Claims. (Cl. Mil-1.3)

My invention relates to a portable hotographunits in elevated position and the carrying case ie light stand and more particularly to a light open; stand which is adjustable to any desired posi- Figure 3 is a detail view of one of the lazy tong tion. arms in the pantograph unit;

Various light stands have been known in the Figure 4 is an enlarged rear view of the laterprior art which permitted limited adjustment ally and rotatably adjustable lighting units and the lamps themselves in one direction. Such diflusing screen; light stands were of course extremely limited in Figure 5 is a detail view of the base member their application. For photographic purposes it showing the spring means for holding-the pantois extremely desirable that a light stand b prograph in its adjusted position; and

vided which will permit vertical and horizontal Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the adjustment of the lights without the sacrifice of line 8-6 of Figure 5. economy of space and ease of operation; Light In order that those persons skilled in the art stands have also been known in which two or may fully understand the nature and scope of )rnore lighting units were provided. These lightl5 the present invention, I shall now give a deing units, however, were placed in a fixed positailed and concise description thereof with partion relative to each other and could not be adticular reference to the above mentioned drawjusted laterally for the elimination of undesirable ings. As shown in Figure 1, the stand consists shadows or the like. Finally the prior art light a of a base member Ill made in the form of a carrystands have been bulky in construction and dim- 0 ing case. A suitable cover II is hinged to said cult for the photographer to carry from place to base at l2. The cover is provided with a carryplace as the need arose. ing handle it for ready transportation of the With these difllculties of the prior art conunit from place to place. At each end or this structions in view, it is accordingly one object of base member Hi there are sockets I 4 which rethe present invention to provide a portable light ceive the projecting lugs IS on a caster unit I6. stand which can be completely enclosed in a This caster unit l6 has the usual rotatable casthandy carrying case forming a part of said stand. ers ll thereon.

It is another object to provide such a light On the inside of the cover H (see Figure 2) stand with means for positioning the lighting various additional accessories may be mounted. units at any desired vertical distance above the Thus there are two sockets i8 in which bulbs floor. for the lighting units may be carried. Carry- Still another object of the invention is to p ins straps H are also pr vid d f h din t vide a pantograph connectionbetween the base diffusing screen 20. Brackets 2lmay be emmember and the lighting units of such a stand, ployed for holding the light cord 25. Additional said pantograph being adjustable vertically to brackets 19 corresponding to brackets H may the desired positions. also be provided within said cover for holding A further object is to provide novel spring the caster units It when these units are removed means for holding the pantograph in whatever from the outside of the case. positionit is placed. The lighting units according to the present in- A still further object is to provide two lighting 40 ventlon consist of two lig t So s 1! Provided units on such a stand, which may b adjusted with suitable reflectors 23. The sockets are prolaterally and rotatably with respect to each other. Vided i individual switches i 61991110 An additional object is to provide a diffu ing cords 25. These electric cords terminate in a screen in connection with said lighting, units. Suitable woke which may be cmnected t0 any other objects andadvantages of this invention source of current. The sockets 22 are mounted will be readily apparent from the following on laterally adjustable slides 21 and 28 by means scripflon and c1 aims of universally adjustable brackets 29. Thus the In the drawings forming a part of this sockets are provided with downwardly extending plication and in which like reference characters flanges which are pivoted to brackets 29 by mdicatenke parts: the horizontal bolts 30. Brackets 2!, in turn.

- are pivoted to the fixed brackets 33 b the v rti- Figure l is a perspective view of the portable cal bolts 31 The fix d brackets fif ly l ht stand with the carrying case in closed p connected to the ends of slides 21 and 28 by tion; rivets 34 or other desired means.

Figure 2 is a view 0! the stand with the lighting Slides 2! and 2| are carried by the channel member 35 which in turn is mounted on the supporting member to be described below. Member 35 has a plate 38 on each side thereof, said plates 36 being provided with channels 31 in which the slides are horizontally movable. A stop lug 38 is provided at the end of each slide to limit the possible lateral separation of the lighting units. The slides are also provided with recessed portions 38 which cooperate with the spring latch elements 40 to determine the relatively retracted position of said units.

The channel member 35 is fastened to a vertically extending portion 42 of the supporting member 43. downwardly extending front and rear arms which are pivoted at their lower ends upper lazy tong arms 50 and graph unit.

In order to maintain the supporting member in vertical position at all times, the front vertical portion above mentioned is provided with a vertical slot 46 in which the upper ends of braces 41 and 43 are slidable. The lower ends of these braces are pivoted to the lazy tong arms 50 and 5| respectively. It will be apparent 5| of the pantofrom this construction that the supporting member 43 will be held in an upright position at all times regardless of vertical adjustment of the pantograph unit.

The vertically adjustable pantograph unit will now be described in greater detail. The top lazy tong arms 50 and 5| which supporting member 43 at their upper ends, are further pivoted at their lower ends to the additional lazy tong arm units 53 and 54 respectively. Units 53 and 54 are pivoted to each other at their respective centers and are pivotally connected to the next succeeding lazy tong units 56 and 55 respectively. Units 56 and 55 are in turn pivoted to each other at their centers and are further connected at their lower ends to the bottom lazy tong units 51 and 58. Units 51 and 58 are similarly pivoted to each other at their centers 59.

One of these lower units 58 is pivoted at 50 to one end of the carrying case or base member l0. Theremaining bottom unit 51 is pivoted at 6| to a suitable slide 62 which is movable along thebase member l on tracks to be described in a moment. This slide 62 (Figures and 6) is provided underneath its center with a channel 53 in which is mounted a spring 54. The channel 63 has a. slot as shown in Figure 6 in which a suitable lug 66 at one end of the base member ID may project. It will thus be apparent that as the slide moves to the right in Figure 5, the lug 66 will enter member 53 and will engage and gradually compress the spring 64.

Slide 52, is provided on each side with downwardly and inwardly turned flanges 65 which are. adapted to. cooperate with the outwardly turned flanges of suitable track members or slides 51-. These track members 61 are fastened to the bottom 68 of base member ||l.

The track members 51 extend from one end of the basemember to the other and permit sliding' movement of member 62 toward and away from the pivot 50 of the lazy tong arm 58.- As the slide moves toward said pivot 60, the lazy tong arms"51 and 58 will be brought to a greater andgreater angle with respect to the base and will'cause corresponding movement of the remaining units of the pantograph to raise the supporting member 43 and lighting units to the channel This supporting member 43 has 44 and 45 to the are pivoted to the the desired elevation. In order to hold the slide 62 at any adjusted position along the tracks 61, I have provided a brake 69 provided with a downwardly turned flange 10 engaging said track. This brake 69 is mounted on the slide itself and is held against the track by the spring 1| fastened to the slide member at 12. In addition to the brake means, which is efiective at all positions of the slide, I have provided an additional spring member 14 fastened to the base member at 13. Point 13 is relatively near the pivot 60 of lazy tong unit 58. The remaining end of spring 14 is connected to a turnbuckle 15 which is fastened at 16 to the other lazy tong unit 51. The turnbuckle may be used to adjust the tension of spring 14 as desired. It will be apparent from Figures 2 and.5 that spring 14 will be effective to retain the pantograph unit in its erected position as long as arms 51 and 58 form a substantial angle with respect to the bottom 68 of base member ID.

As the arms approach their collapsed horizontal position, however, spring" will be less and less effective. It would therefore be impossible to 'maintain the lighting units at a relatively low vertical position except for the additional spring means 64 previously mentioned. Thus as the arms 51 and 58 approach their collapsed position, the spring 64 will be engaged by lug 66 and will hold the pantograph unit in its adjusted position against'the weight or the lighting units and lazy tong arms, which weight tends to collapse the pantograph is positioned to engage spring 64 justas the spring 14 begins to lose its efiectiveness due to the decreased angle between arm 51 and the bottom 68.

By this double scribed, it is possible to retain the lighting units at any desired elevation above the base member Ill. Such a result could not be achieved by v art constructions.

With reference to Figure 4, the supporting member 43 is provided with a suitable clamp or holding member 11 for a diffusing screen unit. Clamp 11 istightened by the locking nut 18 and is pivoted by a suitable bolt 19 to an upwardly extending flange of bracket 80. Bracket 8|! is in turn pivoted to the supporting member 43 for movement about a vertical axis. Bracket accordingly permits universal adjustment of a carrying rod 8| for the diffusing screen holder 82. Holder 82 likewise includes a universal joint which permits movement of the diffusing screen 20 in any desired direction.

From the foregoing description of the lighting units and the diffusing screen holding means, it will be seen that the lighting units may be laterally adjusted between relatively retracted and extended position. When said lighting units are in their retracted positions, they will function substantially as a single light source, particularly when the diffusing screen 20 is placed in front of them. When the units 22 are placed in their extended positions, on the other hand. they will function as separate sources of light and can be universally adjusted to light any desired portions of the subject in order to obtain the proper shadow effects.

In order that the pantograph unit may have the necessary rigidity and strength, I have also devised a novel lazy tong arm unit' of improved structure. This unit, as shown in Figure 3. consists of the side arms 55 and 93 which may unit. Lug 56 spring arrangement just debe pivoted at their respective ends and centers means being effective only when said arms apadditional lazy tong arm units of the same proach a collapsed position parallel to said base.

and 93 are held in their relatively separated pomember, a lighting unit, a vertically adjustable sition by suitable bracing means new to bede- 5 pantograph provided with a pair of lazy. tong diagonally to one end of arm 55 and is con-- at one end of said base and the second arm beextends diagonally back to the central point 86 tively holding the arm and lighting unit in raised across to the other end of arm 55 and is fasan arm along the base toward said opposite end only extends diagonally back to the central portion parallel to said base.

89 where said brace terminates. As shown in 3. An adjustable light stand having a base Figure 3, the ends of the brace may butt against member, a lighting unit, a. vertically adjustable each other and lie alongside the other central pantograph provided with a pair or lazy tong portion 86 of the brace. arms and connecting said base and said lighting In order to hold these central portions of the unit for movement of the latter between extended brace properly spaced from the side arms 55 and and collapsed positions with respect to the base,

93, I have provided additional U-shaped brackone of said arms being pivotallymounted at one ets 90 which are fastened at ill to the central so end of the base, -a slide movable on said base central portions of the brace member are prefermeans connected to said base and to said second arm unit with a single continuous brace member do said base for resisting the movement of the slide rigidity to prevent lateral twisting or wobbling o1" proaches a collapsed position parallel to said the pantograph unit and lighting units 22. base.

From the foregoing description it will be ap- 4. An adjustable light stand having a base parent that a novel portable light stand has been 5 member, a lighting unit, a vertically adjustable provided which maybe readily carried from place e pantograph provided with a pair of lazy tons to place, yet which can be easily adjusted to any arms and connecting said base and said lighting lent forms of construction which will be readily to one of said arms being pivotally mounted at one intention to restrict the present invention to the from the opposite end toward said first end, the' precise structure shown in the drawings. The second of said arms being pivotally mounted on invention is to be interpreted as broadly as the said slide for movement of the slide toward said spirit of the attached claims shall permit. first end as the lighting unit is raised, spring Now therefore I claim: 1- An adjustable light stand having a base arm for resisting movement of said arm and slide I member. a lighting unit, a vertically adiustable toward said opposite end when said arm is at a antosraph provided with y tonrarms an substantial angle with respect'to the base, addin in said base and said lighting unit for tional spring means carried by said slide, and a movement of the latter between extended and lug n said bas engaged by said slide spring tions, one or said spring means being efl'ective e5 Itionparalleltosaid base. when said lazy tong arms are at a substantial i angle with respect to said ase, the second spring g WOLF F. 

